This invention relates generally to round bale forming apparatus and, more particularly, to a crop retainer unit which is in the throat entrance to the baling chamber.
In the prior art, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,446 to Arnold, et al and assigned to the same assignee as this application, discloses bale forming apparatus which is generally similar to that used by applicants. The Arnold et al machine comprises a rigid frame supported on wheels to allow the unit to be drawn behind a tractor which also powers the baling system via its power takeoff shaft. Upwardly extending sidewalls form the confining endwalls of the baling chamber. A plurality of serially arranged conveyors enclose and generally define the circumferential periphery of the baling chamber. Thus, the size of the baling chamber remains constant during the bale forming process. A pickup reel across the lower front of the machine gathers crop material from a windrow and delivers it through an entrance throat into the baling chamber. When the chamber is completely filled, the rear portion of the housing swings upward to enable rearward discharge of the cylindrical bale.
The U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 282,548 and assigned to the same assignee as this application, illustrates another round bale forming apparatus which is generally similar to applicants. The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 282,548 of Kluver et al describes a baler which is intended for forming cylindrical bales that are smaller in diameter than those formed by the baler of U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,446.
Both of the above balers utilize bottom conveyors comprised of four transversely extending rollers on which a plurality of laterally spaced endless belts are trained. Both balers are configured so that crop material picked up from the windrow is passed in almost a straight line from the top of the pickup reel to the nip between the bottom conveyor and the surface of the slowly turning bale within the baling chamber.
The crop retainer unit of this invention is placed in the entrance throat of such a fixed chamber baler. It was discovered that addition of the crop retainer unit overcame problems associated with the baling of certain types of forage during very dry weather conditions.